Session 6 Text Complexity ELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education

English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social

Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Session 6Text Complexity

ELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education

Objectives

The participants will develop an understanding of the importance of text complexity.

The participants will examine the criteria for determining text complexity.


Text Complexity Matters

*From Appendix A, page 4 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

“Being able to read complex text independently and proficiently is essential for high achievement in college and the workplace and important in numerous life tasks.”


Why Text Complexity Matters

According to the 2006, ACT, Inc., report Reading Between the Lines, the biggest differentiator between students who met the reading benchmark and those who didn’t was students’ ability to answer questions associated with complex texts.

*From Appendix A, page 2 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.



http://www.act.org/

Why Text Complexity MattersReading Demands in K-12 have not increased as have those in the workplace and colleges:

• Research indicates that the demands that college, careers, and citizenship place on readers have either held steady or increased over roughly the last fifty years.

• The difficulty of college textbooks has increased since 1962.

• Students in college are expected to read complex texts with substantially greater independence than are students in typical K–12 programs.

*Adapted from Appendix A, page 2 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.


Why Text Complexity MattersType of college and workplace reading has become more complex:• A 2005 College Board study found that college

professors assign more readings from periodicals than do high school teachers.

• The word difficulty of scientific journals and magazines from 1930 to 1990 has increased.

• Workplace reading, measured in Lexiles, exceeds grade 12 complexity significantly, although there is considerable variation.



Recommended Lexile Levels

*Lexile ranges are from MetaMetrics and reported in Appendix A, page 8 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

Text Complexity

Grade Band in CCSS

Old Lexile Ranges

Lexile Ranges Aligned to CCR Expectations

K-1 N/A N/A

2-3 450-725 450-790

4-5 645-845 770-980

6-8 860-1010 955-1155

9-10 960-1115 1080-1305

11-12 1070-1220 1215-1355



Where are Students Really Reading?

Grade Mid-Year25th to 75th percentiles

1 Up to 300L

2 140L to 500L

3 330L to 700L

4 445L to 810L

5 565L to 910L

6 665L to 1000L

7 735L to 1065L

8 805L to 1100L

9 855L to 1165L

10 905L to 1195L

11 and 12 940L to 1210L

Typical Reader Lexile Scores*

*Based upon a 2009 national study by MetaMetrics® reported in The Lexile Framework for ReadingELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education

Combined Lexile ChartsText

Complexity Grade

Band in CCSS

Old Lexile Ranges

Lexile Ranges Aligned to CCR Expectations

Typical Reader Lexile Scores25th-75th percentiles

K-1 N/A N/A Up to 300

2-3 450-725 450-790 140-700

4-5 645-845 770-980 445-910

6-8 860-1010 955-1155 665-1100

9-10 960-1115 1080-1305 855-1195

11-12 1070-1220 1215-1355 940-1210



Why Text Complexity MattersLexile Score

CD-DVD Instructions 1080

USA Today 1100

College Textbooks 1215

Baltimore Sun 1250

W4 Forms 1260

Applications for Student Loans 1270

Wall Street Journal 1320

Washington Post 1350

*Scores listed are averages

1210


The Common core and Text Complexity

The Common Core Reading Standards address the intertwined issues of what and how students read through:

• increasing sophistication in students’ reading comprehension ability

• increasing text complexity in successive school years

• a three-part model for determining the difficulty of a particular text


ELA Educator Effectiveness of Education ELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education

Three Part Model for Text Complexity

(1)Qualitative dimensions of text complexity

These are best measured by a human reader.

Examples: • Levels of meaning or purpose• Structure• Language conventionality and clarity• Knowledge demands





(2) Quantitative dimensions of text complexity

These are typically measured by computer software.

Examples: • Word length• Word frequency• Sentence length• Text cohesion

*Adapted from Appendix A, page 4 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.ELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education




(3) Reader and task considerations

These deal with variables specific to particular readers and/or to particular tasks. They are best made by teachers employing their professional judgment, experience, and knowledge of their students and the subject.

Examples of variables specific to readers:• Motivation• Knowledge• Experiences

Examples of variables specific to tasks:• Purpose • Complexity


Determining Text Complexity

•Recall that a Lexile text measure is determined by word frequency and sentence length.

•Many other factors affect text complexity, including the structure of the text, language usage, and sentence structures.

•Additional considerations in determining text complexity are the levels of meaning, the appropriateness of the content, and the age and interests of the reader.

• When choosing appropriate texts, the Lexile score is a good starting point, but other factors must be considered.


Determining Text Complexity

All Lexile Scores are not

created equally!

ELA Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education

All Lexile Scores are not created equally!

Compare these lexile scores . . .

Lexile 770 Lexile 710


All Lexile Scores are not created equally!

Compare . . . to these!

Lexile 810 Lexile 850

Recommended for Recommended for ages 4-8 ages 5-9


Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, and

Range of Student ReadingThe Common Core State Standards contain lists of sample texts that demonstrate text complexity in the different grade bands. These lists can be found in the CCSS; additional titles may be found in Appendix B.

*It is important to note that these are examples only and should not be considered comprehensive lists. *


Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, and

Range of Student Reading“Given space limitations, the illustrative texts listed are meant only to show individual titles that are representative of a wide range of topics and genres. At a curricular or instructional level, within and across grade levels, texts need to be selected around topics or themes that generate knowledge and allow students to study those topics or themes in depth.”

*From the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, page 32.


A Word of Caution . . .Students should not be interacting independently with complex text that is above their independent reading level.

When using complex text on a student’s instructional reading level, apply scaffolding as needed. This is the “stretch” level.

Text on a student’s frustration reading level should not be used. Research has shown that students’ reading ability does not improve when interacting with text on a frustration level. ELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education

The CCSS and Text Types

Narrative Text • In elementary grades this includes stories and poetry for both read-alouds and independent reading. Read-alouds include chapter books, even at the kindergarten level.• In secondary grades this includes short stories, novels, poetry, and drama.

Informational Text and Literary Non-fictionFor both elementary and secondary grades this includes exposition, historic non-fiction, biographies, auto-biographies, speeches, historical documents, and technical documents.




Follow Up ActivityIn grade level teams, examine current texts being utilized to determine if the text complexity is appropriate.

Documents

Session 6 Text Complexity ELA Educator Effectiveness Academy, Summer 2011 © Maryland State Department of Education